A Celebration of Native American Cultures
About 2,500 visitors came to W. Kerr Scott’s Fort Hamby Park to witness a variety of Native American dances, demonstrations, and story telling during the first annual intertribal Native American Pow Wow held between September 14 – 16 at Forest Edge Amphitheater. Many folks came out to see their first every Pow Wow and many came away with an appreciation of the culture and in some cases ancestral roots.
Opening day was school day, and 4th grade students from area schools attended the Pow Wow with an emphasis on education of the Native American way of life told by Eustace Conway, famed History Channel naturalist and builder of Turtle Island Preserve was on hand during Friday events. Conway described the way that the Native Americans adapted and survived in the native land. In addition, a full blown Tee Pee was on display during Conway’s presentation.
The area of W. Kerr Scott Lake has a deep and ancient history of Native American civilization which spans several peoples and tribes over many centuries. The most notable tribes were the Cherokee and Catawba who even fought for control of land in Western North Carolina at times during the colonial period. The Native American’s of the region assisted early settlers in ways to use the land and introduced the “three sisters,” corn, beans and squash. Until know, those wishing to see the Native American culture had to drive 2 hours to Cherokee, NC to gain an learn first hand their way of life and customs. Know with the first successful Pow Wow in the books, plans are to make it an annual event.
The Intertribal Pow Wow Association is a non-profit organization and plans to return next year to host the second annual Pow wow at W. Kerr Scott Lake.